Austin Has Bragging Rights for Best Places to Live

I received an email from our friends at Buffington Mortgage today that was interesting because it was from an article that Austin Monthly wrote. The article summed up why Austin has bragging rights as one of the best places in the COUNTRY to live. It's not lie that I am biased, but my bias is based in fact. Many Austin home buyers and sellers have noticed that, if there is survey for the "best places" to live in the U.S., Austin will surely be near the top.

From Austin Monthly: Austin's praises were sung nationally throughout 2006. It was named among the best in the nation for a variety of factors, from its chilled-out atmosphere to it's dedication to fitness.  Heres how the capital city ranked:

• No. 1 in Expansion Management magazine's fourth annual Mayor's Challenge rankings of the best cities for future business locations.
• National Geographic Traveler magazine rated 94 places worldwide and named Austin as the BEST CITY IN AMERICA!
• Among eight cheap places you'd want to live, as tallied by Sperling's BestPlaces. Cultural Atmosphere and citywide economic prospects factor into this ranking.
• No. 2 among America's heart healthy cities, as ranked by Men's Journal.  Mayor Will Wynn's goal of making Austin the fittest city in the United States by 2010 earned this accolade.
• No. 2 among the 10 Best Cities, as proclaimed by Money Magazine.  Criteria included financial factors, education, and quality of life.
• No. 2 among the 50 Best Places To Live, as scored by Men's Journal. The magazine looked for cities with the perfect combination of adventure, attractiveness, and affordability.
• No. 2 among the Top 10 Green Cities in the United States, as cited by the Green Guide, which looked for cities with energy-efficient, least polluting and healthy living spaces.  Austin was said to stand out "for its commitment to solar power and green building".
• No. 5 among America's most-educated cities, as found in a Census Bureau study.  Of Austin residents 25 years and older, 44.1 percent hold at least a Bachelor's degree.
• No.5 among America's safest large cities (500,000 or more), according to research firm Morgan Quitno Press.  Round Rock came in at No. 13 in the overall list of safest cities.
• No. 6 among the best walking cities in the nation, a title granted by the American Podiatric Medical Association.
• No. 7 among the locales on Old Spice's fifth annual 100 sweatiest cities list, compiled by comparing the average amount of sweat an average-sized person produces during an hour of walking around in the average high temps of June, July, and August.
• No.8 among the top 10 large vegetarian/vegan-friendly cities, as rated by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
• No.9 among the nation's top 10 chill cities, as surveyed by Sperling's BestPlaces & Bailey's Irish Creme. The survey was performed using a "chill index" based on residents' behavior and social opportunities.

Do you agree or disagree with some of these rankings? What's your most favorite place to live?